This nuclear test means Trump must now start talks with North Korea | John Delury

The US president has postured and threatened while Kim Jong-un has simply ploughed on building a nuclear warhead and a missile that can carry it

North Korea’s apparent sixth nuclear test is not a surprise to anyone who follows the regime’s programme closely. Since April, the analysts at 38 North have been saying the regime was ready, and South Korean intelligence has been predicting it since last week. There is a narrative that the North Koreans are overtaking our expectations – true, perhaps, in terms of their capabilities, but not in terms of the likelihood of the test itself.

Kim Jong-un wants us to see this is as a weaponisation test for his intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). We need time and technical analysis on that point. But it is clear they are barrelling ahead with their nuclear and missile programme. And we need to find an off-ramp.